Date: Thu, 13 Feb 2003 00:23:12 GMT
From: Music_fan
Subject: Where Do We Go #62
Hello reader,
Here is the long awaited new chapter of the ongoing series, Where Do We
Go. I do apologise for the delay, and the hopes that this longer chapter
will in some way appease your wish to see a new chapter will hopefully
content you until I get the next one written. And yes, there will be more,
because this story is far from finished.
Read on...
Cheers
Musicfan
# # #
Shane and Stephen got a surprise when they finally caught up with Mark
the next day. Their tour manager barely heard their request before readily
agreeing, saying that he'd look into moving some of the band's commitments
to another time so they could take some time off. Stephen and Shane
exchanged perplexed looks as Mark suggested they take off the following
weekend, since there was only one appearance that could be rescheduled.
"What's wrong?" Mark asked, leaning back in his chair as he regarded
the duo.
"We're just not used to people saying yes when we ask for time off,"
Stephen said with a sheepish grin. Mark laughed at his comment.
"To tell you the truth, Stephen, I was expecting this for the last
couple of weeks. You lads have been working your tails off and I knew it
was only a matter of time until you got burnt on it all. Whilst I know
Louis won't be too happy about it, he's not here and I am, so take some
time off. Recharge yourselves and come back fresh. Better than falling on
your noses from exhaustion."
"Thanks Mark, we appreciate it," Shane said as he stood up. "I'll let
the others know so that they can make some plans." Mark nodded and Shane
went off to tell their bandmates.
"Stephen?" Mark turned as Stephen started to get up and follow his
friend. Stephen looked at him with the nod, waiting for him to continue.
"You have a minute to sit and chat?"
Stephen shrugged and nodded, puzzled by Mark's request. "Yeah, sure.
What's up?"
"I wanted to apologise to you," Mark said, looking serious for a
moment. "I knew what Louis did to you and I knew it was wrong. I should
have done something about it, but I didn't. So I wanted to say I'm sorry."
Stephen was shocked into stillness. He knew damn well what Mark was
referring to. He had heard what Mark had said to Mike a few months back.
He didn't say anything in response, unsure really on how to respond to
Mark's comment. He looked down at his hands, trying to come up with
something to say.
"It wasn't your fault, Mark. We both know that Louis will do whatever
he wants and to hell with the consequences with his actions. And by the
time you probably found out, the damage was already done. But I'm glad you
said something to Mick, because it helped clear the air with the rest of
the lads, and it showed me what really good friends I have around me."
Stephen looked up and gave his tour manager a wry grin. "And despite me,
they solved the problem themselves."
"I heard about that," Mark grinned. "And good on them for doing it.
Stephen, I know how hard it can be for you, and I know that the last few
months haven't been easy. But I wanted to say that whatever you do, don't
let it get away from you. And, whatever you decide in the future, well, I
just want to say that I'll help you out if you need it."
"Help me out?" Stephen asked, confused by what he thought Mark was
implying.
"Yeah, help you with stuff. If you need to arrange a trip, or bring
your friend over, I can make sure he's on the same floor as you, that sort
of thing." Mark was a little uncomfortable with the suggestion, but he had
promised himself that he would have this conversation with Stephen when the
time was right. And if he was reading this right, after what Ronan had
told him about Eloy, that Stephen was close to making the jump of being
together on a regular basis. He wanted to do something to make up for what
Louis did to Stephen. He didn't like what had happened one bit, and it was
time that Louis got back some of his own by the people he had wronged in
the past. "Look, Steve, its no surprise you came down here because I know
what happened to your friend's group. I was half expecting you to ask to
get away earlier this week, but I should have known you wouldn't shirk the
performances."
Stephen looked back down at his hands, appalled that his tour manager
had read him so easily. Obviously the other lads had been talking, and he
experienced a flash of violent anger at their apparent betrayal. But as
Mark kept on talking, mentioning the upcoming tour and how not being in one
place all the time could be used to his advantage, Stephen fought down the
anger he felt. He knew that Mark was only trying to help, and really, he
was surprised that Mark had suggested it in the first place. The idea of
having Eloy on tour with him if he were willing sent a jab of excitement
into him as he thought about Eloy being with him night after night. It was
something he had dreamed about, but never thought would happen. And here,
in front of him from out of the blue, Mark was suggesting that he do just
that.
"Mark, I honestly don't know what to say..." he trailed off, speechless
at the offer.
"You don't have to say anything at all," Mark said. "I'm just giving
you ideas to think about. It wouldn't be the first time I let someone
sneak a loved one on a tour with them and I'm sure it won't be the last."
He smiled at the surprised look on Stephen's face.
"But what about Louis?" Stephen asked, stricken at the thought of his
manager finding out what they were thinking of doing. But Mark waved that
away as if it didn't matter.
"And when was the last time you saw Louis on a tour, other than in
London or Dublin?" Mark scoffed. Stephen grinned at the expression on his
face, knowing full well that Louis was working on the next scam --- there
was nothing new that he could do for Boyzone, and they pretty much managed
themselves these days. "Anyhow, that's a ways off. But think about it. If
that's something you want to do, you tell me and we'll work it out. All
right?"
"Yeah, all right," Stephen agreed. "Mark, I don't..."
"Then don't thank me, unless it works," Mark said with a slight smile.
"If it doesn't, you may end up cursing me for the rest of your life." He
lost the smile as he leaned forward, wanting to leave Stephen with one last
thing to think about. "But one thing I will tell you, is that when we're
on tour, it will be very hard to keep it under wraps. Try as we might,
word may get out. And that's something that you really need to think
about, Stephen. There may be consequences and if we put this in motion,
you might have to deal with it. Its not a decision that one can make
lightly."
Stephen glanced up from his clasped hands, acknowledging his tour
manager's advice. "Yeah, I will think about it. And you're right, it's not
something we can just jump into without talking about it. And even if I
do, I'd want to talk to the rest of the lads, because I don't want to do
anything that might jeopardise what we have together." Mark nodded as he
spoke. "But thank you for taking the time to talk to me," he said
earnestly.
At that moment, they were interrupted by whoops as the lads came back
down to the lounge, having just received the news from Shane. Ronan was
excited that he would get some time to spend with Yvonne, and Keith and
Mikey looked happy that they'd be able to see their families again and
spend a few days at home. That essentially ended Stephen's conversation
with Mark, and he was relieved that it had ended. He felt awkward talking
to Mark about this and he still wasn't sure if it was something he was
ready to jump into until he had thought it out.
His friends didn't leave him any time for reflection right away,
because they insisted that they all take Mark out for a celebratory
dinner. Mark and Stephen were swept into their crazy plan as they headed
out for food and drink.
They ended up at a small Italian restaurant down the street from the
hotel. The boisterous group kept the staff busy as they went through a lot
of alcohol and food in their celebration. Though they didn't quite close
down the place, they were determined to continue the party back at the
hotel pub and try as he might, Stephen couldn't get away. He desperately
wanted to ring Eloy with the good news, but it seemed like the others were
determined to thwart him in his efforts. He knew they probably weren't even
thinking of him needing to ring Eloy, but it certainly felt that way to
him! Finally he told them he had to go to the loo and slipped out to go up
to his room for some privacy.
The hotel lobby was teeming with fans that had booked into the hotel
knowing the lads would be there. While many of them were too young to be
served in the bar, it didn't stop them from waiting for the lads to come
out. Stephen found himself caught in a group waiting by the door. Though
he was almost dancing with impatience to be away, he forced himself to act
as he normally did, stopping to sign some autographs and pictures. The
time dragged until he could extricate himself from the group and climb the
stairs to his room. He didn't want to take the lift as the group had
started to follow him in that direction and he thought the stairs would be
discouraging to them.
He was winded by the time he got to his floor and he ruefully thought
about how badly out of shape he was as he made his way into his room. They
had a tour coming up in the fall and he knew it was going to be grueling.
He made a promise to himself to get in better condition before it started
so he would be able to perform without gasping. He chuckled, also
acknowledging that the night's pasta wasn't the way to do that, either.
Falling across the bed, he grabbed his mobile and dialed Eloy's
number, waiting impatiently for it to connect. Eloy picked up on the third
ring, and was happy to hear that it was Stephen on the other end.
"Hey, liefste, how is it going?" He asked, knowing that Stephen had
had a busy week of promotion.
"Great, hon. Fantastic," Stephen said. He was so excited about his
news that he didn't know where to start. "Hey, listen. Have any plans
next week?"
Eloy, who was making himself a late dinner, was puttering around his
kitchen as they talked, putting together some leftovers from a meal his
mother had brought over. "Not really. Why?"
"Because it just so happens that I have some time off, thanks to Shane
and Mark." Stephen told him, unable to hold the news back any longer. "So
I was wondering if you would like to come over to London and spend some
time together...." He paused, almost holding his breath, hoping Eloy would
say yes.
"Ja?" Eloy perked up at the news. The thought of getting away from
home appealed, though it was the thought of seeing Stephen again that made
his heart beat faster. "When?"
"Thursday through Monday," Stephen told him. "We're all knackered here
and Mark figured that we were going to need the time off sooner or later."
He was thinking about also telling Eloy about the other half of Mark's
proposal, but then decided he wanted to talk to him about it face to face,
so he could see what Eloy's reaction to that would be. "Please say you'll
come," he urged.
"Honing, nothing could keep me away," Eloy said, instinctively
responding to the sound of entreaty in Stephen's voice. "Where?"
Stephen laughed, aware he didn't have a clue as to where they were
staying in London the following week. "You know, I don't have a clue!
I'll check with Mark and get back to you. Oh Eloy, I'm so glad you can come
over!" He was bouncing on the bed, excited by the idea.
"And will I get to meet your sister?" Eloy said, amused by Stephen's
reaction. When Stephen paused, he realized that his lover had totally
forgotten their plan of meeting with Michelle the next time he came to see
Stephen.
"Erm, well," Stephen paused, thinking. "Shite, I better tell her, or
else she'll skin me alive. Damn, I wished I hadn't promised her, I'd
rather it just be us together. It's been too long."
"Ja, it has," Eloy agreed. However, knowing his own sister, he knew
that Stephen's would never forgive them if she was left out this time.
"Why not just have her come over on Saturday or Sunday? That would give us
Thursday on together before she arrives."
"Now that is a fantastic idea, love," Stephen responded. "I'll check
with her as well and set it up. Oh, E, I'm so glad you can come over."
"Ja, so am I." Eloy grinned. "I think a trip to see you will be
great." Already, he was thinking of what to pack, thinking of the outfits
he had in his closet and wanting something special to see Stephen in. He
also started thinking about bringing a gift for Michelle and he went
through different ideas while they chatted on the phone.
"God, next week seems like forever!" Stephen complained. Eloy laughed
at him, knowing he had only just got the news from his manager and he was
already impatient for him to be there. It gave him a special feeling to
know that Stephen wanted him there immediately, and not the following week.
"Next Thursday will come soon enough, liefste." Eloy assured him. He
also refrained from pointing out how fast it would go by. It always seemed
like any time they spent together moved at a different rate from when they
were apart, and he knew Stephen's frustration with their frequent
separations. "Let's talk about something else."
"Okay," Stephen readily agreed, knowing the futility of his
frustration. "How're things going with you?"
"Goed, actually." Eloy was pleased to inform his lover. "I've had some
meeting with some producers about doing some recording, which is nice. And
I've been approached to do some presenting work this Fall as well."
"Yeah? Good for you, honey. I'm thrilled for you, I really am,"
Stephen said, happy to hear the excitement about his plans in Eloy's voice.
It had been so long since he had, that he had forgotten how much it meant
to him to hear Eloy interested in work again. Eloy went on to tell him
about some of the shows he was possibly going to present, and Stephen told
him to do it all, because then he'd be getting his name and face in the
public eye more. Eloy agreed, knowing that Stephen was right. One of the
things in this business was that if you disappeared for a while, the fans
tended to move onto someone new. And he really wanted to capitalize on the
CITA fandom while he could use that as a draw with various producers.
By the time they were both yawning into each other's ear, they agreed
it was time for them to go to bed. Stephen promised to ring him as soon as
he had some information about the following week, and Eloy said he would
look into flights to London. When they hung up, Stephen lay sprawled on
the bed, ideas running through his head about the weekend. He looked at
the clock on the nightstand and when he realised how much time had passed,
he decided it wasn't worth going downstairs to rejoin the lads. It was
also too late to ring his sister, so he kicked off his sneakers and got
ready for bed.
As he was washing up in the bathroom he realized he was humming to
himself. He grinned at his reflection, feeling really good about the world
at the moment. It also amazed him that just the idea of getting together
with Eloy could put him in such a silly mood. His smile widened at the
thought and he looked at himself in the mirror, acknowledging the fact once
again. He was in love with Eloy, and when they could be together, his world
felt right again, like it was on firmer ground than when they were apart.
His thoughts sobered him slightly as he continued them onto Mark's idea of
having Eloy on tour with him. He leaned against the sink, almost weak at
the thought of the idea of having Eloy with him every day. He also knew
that it was a big step that he would have to think about before making a
decision. His gut reaction was to shout yes to Mark and put everything in
motion, but with so many people involved, he knew he had to plan it all
very wisely.
He made his way back into the bedroom, his clothes over one arm which
he absently draped over the back of the chair as he walked over to the bed.
He chewed his lip as he thought back to their conversation and Eloy's talk
about doing presenting work. It was possible that Eloy wouldn't have the
time to go on tour with him, either. The thought made his heart sink as he
shut off the light, climbed into the bed and snuggled under the duvet. He
put his arms behind his head as he thought everything through. When his
thoughts started to blur together he consigned his decision for another day
and drifted off to sleep.
# # #
He was roused the next morning to the ringing of the telephone. He
struggled with the covers for a moment before freeing his arms enough to
pick up the receiver. It was the wake up call that Mark had set up for
them and he dropped it back down onto the table once he realized he was
listening to the recording from the hotel's switchboard. It was far too
early in the morning for him, but he also knew they had an early morning
call at the television station. He groaned, silently cursing Saturday
morning television programmes. As he got up, he conveniently put out his
own mind memories of running to the television as a kid in the morning,
excited to be able to watch his favourite shows without having to go to
school. Not that it was allowed that often. He mother preferred to get
them all out of the house and into fresh air. He snorted as he made his
way to the bathroom. As if there was much fresh air in that part of the
city growing up! He used to resent her for the lost opportunity of
watching television and usually made his way over to a friend's house where
he could watch without fear of reprisal. The times she had found out, she
chastised him, saying he was undoing all of her good work about getting him
outside and into the fresh air, but it had never deterred him. It was the
thought of kids doing the same thing today that got him moving along,
showered and dressed in time to grab something to eat at the restaurant
downstairs before they had to get their ride over to the studio.
He took the stairs down to the lobby, using the time to ring his
sister. He knew she'd be up early, not being allowed to sleep with an
active toddler in the house.
"Hello," she said distractedly obviously in the middle of something
else as she picked up the phone.
"Hey, Shel, its me." He said, making his way down each flight and
telling himself that this was going to be his exercise for the day. "How
are ya?"
"Oh my God, has hell frozen over?" She asked to no one in particular
while he laughed on the other end. "I do believe its me long lost brother
on the phone! And before 7 o'clock in the morning! Will wonders never
cease?"
Stephen laughed, acknowledging the gentle rebuke that she had had to
ring him up the last several times they had spoken. "No, just up early for
work," he admitted as he passed through the fire door that let him out into
the hotel lobby. Mark was standing by the entrance to the restaurant,
looking at his watch. When he saw Stephen, he motioned him through, eager
to get the group moving along.
Stephen waved to him as he walked into the room, which was fairly
empty, this early in the morning. A buffet was set up at one end of the
room and he grabbed a plate and put some toast on it, reaching over to take
a little jar of jam as well back to the table he selected by a window.
"Listen, Shel, I'm on the run because I have to get something to eat before
Mark shoves us into the studio. But I have some news for you."
"Oh? Something good?" She asked, noticing a tone of excitement in his
words.
"I think so," he grinned, nodding to the waiter who came over with a
cup of coffee. He saw Ronan drift past him and could hear chattering at
the door that signaled the others arriving. The noise level was about to
rise accordingly and he knew that he wasn't going to be able to talk much
longer on the phone to his sister. He told her about his time off the
following weekend and how he was going have Eloy fly over to meet with him.
"So want to come over and meet my sweetie?"
"Wild horses couldn't keep me away, Stephen!" Michelle said, thrilled
with the news. "I've been pining away for months now to do this! When do
you want me to come over?" She was thinking about making her own plans, and
with leaving Jordan with her mother for the weekend so that Alan could also
have some free time to himself. That would make up for her scooting off to
London for a day or two to meet up with her brother. She counted herself
blessed that she had a husband who was so tolerant of her little excursions
to see her brother from time to time. He knew how close they were and how
little she got to see her brother and was always urging her to go when she
got the opportunity.
"How about Saturday?" Stephen suggested. "You can stay overnight and
go back on Sunday. Would that work?"
"I think that would work out fantastically!" She said, excited by the
thought. Then she paused, thinking. "But Stephen, if you only have a
couple of days together, maybe I shouldn't come this time so you can have
the time alone."
Stephen grinned, knowing how much that offer was probably killing
her. His heart warmed at her generous move, as he knew that she had been
dying to meet Eloy for so long but was willing to make the sacrifice to
allow him some time alone with his lover.
"Nah, its okay. I have to be honest and tell you that he's really
coming over from Amsterdam on Thursday, so we'll already have a couple of
days before you get here," he admitted.
"Oh? Well then it's not a problem, is it?" She said, delighted. "Oh
God, I'll have to look at getting over there."
"Don't worry about that, Shel. I'll make the plans. Just as long as
you can come over," he said. By this time the other lads had made their
way through the buffet and had sat down at the table. "Listen, I gotta go,
but I'll give you a ring later, okay?"
She could hear the rest of the group chattering in the background and
knew that he needed some time to eat before they went off to do their show
that morning. "You do that! And don't forget!"
"I won't," he promised. "Love you, bye!" He rang off and put his
mobile down on the table, picking up a piece of toast and biting into it.
"Your sister?" Ronan asked, gesturing towards Stephen's mobile with
his knife. Stephen nodded as he swallowed his food before replying.
"Yeah, she's coming over next weekend when E's going to be in town,"
Stephen told him, a big grin coming over his face.
"Is she really?" Ronan asked. He could see how excited Stephen was
about it. Other than the group, no one other than Michelle knew about
Eloy. For the life of him, he couldn't imagine being so circumspect to the
point of hiding everything from everyone, but he understood why Stephen
felt he had to do so. Mark had also mentioned that they had spoken the
night before and that he had made the offer to Stephen to bring Eloy along
on tour with the group if that was what Stephen wanted. He heartily
approved of the idea.
"Yeah," Stephen said, glancing around the room to see if any of the
other lone diners were within earshot. The few individuals up that early
were business sorts, with their newspapers spread out before them while
they chatted on their mobiles. None of them were paying any attention to
the large group off to one side of the room, so Stephen relaxed a little as
he continued. "She's been dying to meet up, and we had promised her that
the next time he got to London she could come over. Since we're going to
have next weekend off, this is going to be the time."
"She must be bouncing off the walls," Keith said, knowing Stephen's
sister.
"Oh she was!" Stephen laughed. He felt close to doing the same,
knowing that Eloy was going to be with him at the end of the week. "Lord
knows what will happen when those two meet up! I'm almost afraid to see
it."
"Good for you," Shane said, patting Stephen on the shoulder. "Just
have a place to run in case they gang up on you!"
"Yeah, I will!" Stephen replied, pushing his plate away from him. "I'm
going to chat to Mark and see about getting a flight for Michelle. I'll
see you all later, yeah?" The others waved to him and he jumped out of his
seat and went looking for Mark, who was sitting on a sofa in the lobby
chatting with Barrie. They looked up as they heard Stephen approach.
"Morning, Stephen." Barrie greeted him. Stephen gave him a wave as he
reached them.
"Morning, Barrie, Mark," Stephen nodded towards the other man. "Hey, I
was wondering if you could help me out by having Fran set up a flight for
Michelle for this upcoming weekend. I've been promising her for ages that
she could come over and spend time with me, so this is probably the best
time to do it." He was reticent about talking to Mark in front of Barrie.
Not that he didn't trust him, but he was so used to holding his private
life separate from work that he held back out of habit more than anything
else. "She wants to meet up so I figured I'd just stay at the hotel and we
could spend the weekend together. So if we could get two adjoining rooms,
that would be lovely."
"Certainly, Stephen. That's not a problem. And what about your other
friend?" Mark asked him.
"Oh, that's all set, so we don't need to worry about that," Stephen
assured him. "Thanks a lot, Mark. I really appreciate it."
"Not a problem," Mark assured him. "That's what I'm here for."
The rest of the group, who had left the restaurant together,
interrupted their conversation. Mark glanced at his watch before nodding
to Barrie. "Time to go, lads."
It was a very agreeable group that arrived at the station for the
early morning segment on CD:UK. They took time to chat with members of the
audience, mainly made up of girls who had been waiting since early morning
for a chance to see their idols. Their mothers stood at the back of the
audience, admiring the young men who went out of their way to chat with the
fans who had been waiting patiently for their arrival.
The tv crew had to make several attempts to get them in place for the
opening with the hosts. It was rather harrowing reining the boys into
position, put on their mics and to sit in place as the floor director
calmly counted down the seconds until the show was live. It was almost as
if it were magic the way the crowd settled down just as the light glowed
red on top of the camera and the host introduced the group. The lads were
in top form, kidding around with the hosts, flirting with their fellow
guests and the audience, and singing impromptu songs during the programme.
From the studio they went to a radio station where they promoted their
single, participating in a contest to give away tickets for their upcoming
tour that fall. When they were finished with that, they found a large
crowd waiting for them outside the radio station. After the early morning
start, their energy was flagging, but they put on a good face for the eager
crowd that awaited them out on the street.
Eventually Mark and Barrie got them out of there, knowing that they
weren't going to last much longer. The group gratefully climbed into the
people mover, which took them back to the hotel.
Stephen followed the others into the hotel lobby, though he did stop
to pose for a couple of photographs for fans that were patiently waiting
outside the hotel. His friends had made excuses and made their way inside,
not wanting to be on anymore for the day. But Stephen felt bad for the
girls waiting outside so patiently, so he took what time he could with them
until Mark came to fetch him.
"Come along, Stephen," Mark said, knowing full well that if left to
his own devices, Stephen would be out there all day, stuck by his own good
nature. Stephen reluctantly allowed himself to be taken away from the
hotel door and into the lobby. "You'd be there all day if I didn't rescue
you."
"Yeah, probably," Stephen said, grinning tiredly at his tour manager.
"I can't help it, though. I just know how long they've been waiting
there."
"And they'll be waiting the next time you're in town as well. It
certainly won't be the first time you've had to chat with that lot," Mark
said a bit cynically. "Why don't you go up to your room and get some rest,
yeah?"
"Yeah, think I might," Stephen said, stifling a yawn. He waved and
headed off to his room to take a nap. The others were nowhere to be found,
and he assumed they were crashing until later in the evening. They were off
that night to an industry party, which was something that Stephen wasn't
really looking forward to. He considered it one of the necessary evils of
the business he was in, but certainly didn't enjoy it at all.
When he got to his room he lasted long enough to kick off his boots
before collapsing on the bed. He hadn't even turned on the lights, but had
just closed the door and made his way in the semi-dark room to the low rise
platform in front of him. He relied on Mark's good planning to wake him up
in time to get ready and his last thought was that he really needed ring
his sister with news about her flight before he drifted off to sleep.
# # #
The next few days seemed to drag for Stephen as he waited with
anticipation for this long awaited reunion with Eloy. He found that he
couldn't concentrate on much of anything during the week as the group went
through the rest of the commitments that they had on the schedule. The
other lads teased him mercilessly, knowing full well that the following
weekend was going to be so important for him.
"Ah, leave be." He admonished his friends, but it didn't help at all.
He took their teasing with good humour, knowing that they meant well, and
that they were pleased to see him so happy.
Though the hours of each day seemed to drag on, time did pass, albeit
slowly in Stephen's assessment. They were finally at their last day of
work, doing an interview for Smash Hits and a photo shoot. Stephen found
it hard to concentrate on the questions the writer asked him, which were a
compilation of questions sent in by the fans. It seemed to be the same
questions he had been asked before, and there were only so many times one
could answer what his favourite colour was.
Though it seemed like eternity, they were finally finished with the
photo shoot and were set free for the day, and for the group, a long
weekend that was well deserved. They piled into their van back to the
hotel where the lads packed up to head off in various directions for the
weekend.
"Stephen," Mark said, pulling him aside as he came into the
lobby. "Let me come up with you and give you the stuff you'll need for this
weekend." He glanced at the group of ever present fans and Stephen nodded,
acknowledging the need for discretion.
"Absolutely. Come on up," he said, gesturing to the lift door. He
followed Mark inside along with a couple of other guests and made their way
to his floor. They chatted about the day's work as they made their way
down the hall to his room.
"Here we are," Stephen said, opening the door with the key and letting
Mark enter before entering behind him. The door closed, ensuring privacy.
"What stuff?"
Mark sat down in the chair by the window and pulled an envelope out of
his jacket pocket. "Hotel stuff. I thought it best that we move you all
to another hotel so that the fans think you're out of town." He handed the
packet to Stephen, who opened it to look at the arrangements. "It's a nice
little place that isn't on the beaten path, so to speak, so you shouldn't
have too much trouble with fans. It's mainly known as a tourist hotel, so
many of the guests will be from out of town. I've already checked you in,
as well as your sister in the adjoining room. By the way, Eloy is
registered as her husband."
Stephen burst out laughing at the mental image that comment provoked.
"You registered him as Alan?" Mark nodded and Stephen continued to
chuckle. "I love it."
"Yeah, well, it seemed to make sense, so let's hope no one asks why a
man with an Irish name has a Dutch accent," Mark said wryly. "Since
they're already checked in, all Eloy has to do is ask for the key in his
name. Or Alan's name to be precise. I assume that you'll just have
Michelle come up to the room and you can give her the other key then."
Stephen nodded. "I considered just having the key left for him at the
airport, but figured that would be harder to set up. Hopefully this will
be fine."
"It's more than fine," Stephen assured Mark. "And Mark, if I haven't
said it before, thank you so much for going through all this trouble."
"No problem, I'm glad to help," Mark said with a grin. He had noticed
the change in Stephen since their conversation the week before, and he was
happy to see him so relaxed for a change. It certainly made handling him
as a minder much easier. He thought that Stephen was rather relieved that
he knew about the relationship with Eloy and was willing to help them
out. From what he had heard from the others, Stephen wasn't getting much
support elsewhere, other than from his sister.
"So, you're ready to move over whenever you want. I registered you as
Mr. Patrick O'Malley, so you've got your own alias," Mark continued as
Stephen looked through the paperwork for the hotel. "Figured with your
accent we might as well keep you Irish."
Stephen chuckled as he nodded, sitting on the bed. "Yeah, just as
well. I don't plan on spending much time in public, though." He gave Mark
a cheeky grin, who laughed at his expression.
"Right then, pack up and take a taxi over and you'll be all set." Mark
said, standing and stretching. He was looking to a few days off himself,
as this had been a long run for himself as well. "If you need anything,
you have my mobile, yeah?"
"Yeah, I do," Stephen said. "But I think I'll be all set." He got up
to follow Mark to the door. "Thanks for going through all this trouble."
"No trouble, Stephen." Mark assured him. "I do have to say that you
lads are one of the easier groups I've had to work with over the years, and
you especially have been the least demanding in terms of what kind of
things you ask for. Don't worry about it, right?"
"Right," Stephen said with a grin. "Alright, I need to pack and set
off. "I'll see you after the weekend, yeah?"
"Yeah, we have to head up to Glasgow for a show up there, so make sure
you meet us at the airport on time!" Mark patted Stephen on the shoulder as
he headed to the door. "Have a good time and enjoy yourself."
"I think I'll have no problem doing that," Stephen said, the feeling
of anticipation that the weekend was now on hand making him restless. He
felt like bouncing, and couldn't contain his excitement. "Thanks again."
"You're welcome," Mark said. "Oh, and by the way, I picked that hotel
because of their excellent room service. I have a feeling you won't really
be heading out much this weekend, so I wanted to make sure you had
everything you needed."
Stephen laughed, colouring slightly at Mark's implication. "Ah, you're
the best. You have yourself a good weekend, and I'll see you on Monday."
"Yeah, I will. Bye now," Mark said with a nod as he left the room.
Stephen followed him and saw that the others were already leaving, having
packed before their interview that morning. He said his goodbyes and was
grateful that they were in a hurry and didn't tease him anymore than they
had already.
Once he was done, he headed back to his room and packed his stuff,
making sure he had everything before hauling his bag down to the lobby. It
looked like any lingering fans had long since left, so he gratefully handed
his key over to the bellhop and asked for a taxi to be called. He hadn't
looked forward to having to fend off fans, so he was relieved that he was
spared that. It had helped that each of the lads had left around the same
time, so fans thinking they could beat them to the airport had long sing
left. He just hoped that no on noticed he wasn't going home to Dublin this
weekend. He didn't think it would be a problem, since neither was Shane,
so people would think that maybe they had gone off together. At least he
wasn't going to let it bother him in the meantime.
The taxi arrived right away and he tossed his bag onto the back seat
next to him. He gave the driver the name of the hotel he was going to and
sat back as they wound their way around the city. Idly he wondered what
the driver thought, taking him from one hotel to another. He was sure it
was probably one of the more normal trips the man took, though. They
arrived in short order and he paid the man the fare and a nice tip before
getting out. Nodding to the doorman, he entered the hotel and headed up to
the room that was already reserved for him.
It was a nice quiet tourist hotel, catering mainly to Americans from
the accents he heard around him. There was an understated elegance about
the place that was rather pleasing. The lift was just off the lobby, so he
made his way to the 16th floor and found his room at the end of the hall.
It was a rather large room, being on a corner of the hotel, and he
silently applauded Mark's good taste in hotel choices. There was a large
bed against one wall, as well as a large table off to one side for
entertaining, separated by a sofa and television against one wall. He
noticed the television could be swiveled so that one could watch from the
bed, though he knew that there wouldn't be much need of that. There was
also mini bar built into the credenza next to the television and he peeked
inside to see what they had in way of drinks.
He rang Eloy's mobile, but just got his messenger service. Looking at
his watch, he realized that Eloy was probably on his way already, so he
left a message giving him Mark's information about the name he had to get
his keys under at the hotel desk. When he rung off with Eloy's mobile, he
rang his sister to let her know that everything was set.
She was rather amused that Mark had registered Eloy as her husband.
"Well that was cheeky of him, wasn't it?"
"I thought it was a good idea," Stephen said, defensive on Mark's
behalf.
"I know, hon, I'm only winding you up," she assured him. Actually,
she was tickled with the idea, as Eloy already felt like family to her, so
she wasn't at all put out that Mark had registered them that way. "It's
fine. I don't mind having Eloy for a husband."
"Hmm, I wonder what Alan would say to that!" Stephen said with a
laugh. He told her about the hotel room, and how they had adjoining rooms
at the end of a hall, so that they shouldn't have much problem keeping out
of people's way. "Mark did a fabulous job."
"Yeah, he did," Michelle agreed. "I'm so glad this all came together
the way it did. Mark has been great setting this up."
"Yeah," Stephen said. He knew how long Michelle had been looking
forward to meeting Eloy and he felt thrilled that his two favourite people
were finally going to meet. "Think you can wait until Saturday?"
"No," she admitted and they laughed companionably. "What time is Eloy
due?"
"Not until later this afternoon," Stephen told her. "I tried to ring
him, but couldn't reach him so I left a message on his mobile. But he
should be here in a few hours."
"Bet you're looking forward to that," Michelle said knowingly. She
could hear the nervous energy in her brother's voice and knew how hard he
was trying to keep still while they chatted. "Not long, then."
"No, not long at all." Stephen said with a happy sigh. "I can't
believe he's almost here. It seems like forever since I saw him last."
Inside, he worried about the time that they had spent apart, thinking that
Eloy would have changed his mind in the time they had been separated.
Though he knew that wasn't true, he still felt insecure with their
relationship when Eloy wasn't near. He had so many anxieties that Eloy
would find someone else, and that he would tell him their attempt at a
relationship was all a mistake.
"Don't worry, sweetie," his sister assured him, well aware of the way
his thoughts would go once left to his own devices while he waited. "It
will work out fine."
"Yeah, I know. But sometimes Shel, it seems so impossible," Stephen
sighed, thinking of the seemingly insurmountable obstacles facing his
relationship with Eloy, not the least being his role with the group and the
industry in general. "I wonder if it will ever work out to the point where
I won't have to worry about it anymore."
"Someday, sweetheart, it will. You'll know when the time is right,"
she said. She knew well the doubts going through his mind. "Until then,
stop fretting about it."
"I suppose," he reluctantly acquiesced. "Well, I should let you go.
But when you get here, give me a ring and then just come up to the room."
"Oh, I can't just come up and catch you two together?" She teased him as
he growled menacingly at her. "After all, you could be having a tryst with
my husband!"
Stephen laughed at her comment. He knew she was going to enjoy that one
and not give up teasing for a while.
"That's the whole point of this, Shel." He reminded her. "And besides,
he's your husband this weekend in name only. The rest is all mine."
Michelle was amused at the proprietary tone in her brother's voice.
She was so looking forward to finally meeting the man who made him so
happy, and she knew that the next few days would drag slowly until she got
on the plane over to London.
"He'll be there soon, and then you won't have to worry. And in a few
days, I'll be there also. That's the time you'll have to start worrying
about!" She joked.
"Oh, I know! Don't remind me about that!" Stephen exclaimed with a
groan. His imagination ran wild when he thought about Eloy and his sister
meeting for the first time.
"Oh, do I hear my dear child calling for me?" Michelle said with a
laugh, knowing full well that Stephen was going to dwell on that last
comment for a while. "I do think he is. Have to go love, but I'll see you
in a couple of days. Don't bother to ring me, I think you'll be too busy
to think of it."
"You think?" Stephen asked with a laugh.
"Yeah, that I do. Well sweetie, I'll talk to you soon. Enjoy your
time off," she said softly. "And stop worrying so!"
"I will. Thanks hon. Love you," Stephen said.
"I love you too. And I'll see you on Saturday!" Michelle said firmly.
She rung off as her son came barreling into the kitchen, and was soon
distracted from thoughts of her brother by the antics of her child.